NDC Eastern Region Expose Negative Activities Of NPP In The Region

The Eastern regional secretariat of the NDC has come out to expose some negative acts of the NPP in the Eastern Region .

In a statement copied to GhanaPoliticsonline.com by the Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC and Parliamentary candidate for Afram Plains South, Kevor Mark-Oliver touched on violent acts meted out on supporters of the NDC and destruction of billboards and posters of NDC Parliamentary candidates and their flag bearers President John Mahama.

Below is the full statement.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE EASTERN REGIONAL SECRETARIAT OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 6, 2016.

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen from various media houses. You are welcome to the safe premises of the NDC.

PREAMBLE
This is the first of a series of press briefing or encounters the Regional Secretariat will be having as we gear up into the 2016 general elections. We will talk about issues in the Region that have arisen over the period that needs public attention.

ALLEGATION OF VIOLENCE BY THE NPP

Yesterday, the New Patriotic Party in the Region wasted everybody’s time with a press conference and made unfounded allegations against the NDC and others. They alleged that our members have engaged in political violence and that the police does nothing about it. This is the second time in the month the NPP is making such unfounded allegation after their Youth Wing accused the Regional Minister and our Abirem Constituency executives of intimidation.

We will like to state that these allegations are complete fabrications. There is no single reported case of political violence in the Region against any of our members by the NPP that we are aware of. Then NPP must be made to produce such evidence.

On the Contrary, we can count not less than four (4) reported cases of political violence perpetrated by NPP hoodlums on NDC members. These cases can be verified as follows:

-John Teh , an NDC registration agent was brutalized with machetes by NPP hoodlums in the Abetifi Constituency. The case was reported at the Nkwatia police station and further moved to the Mpraeso Court for the necessary judicial action.

– Our Registration agent, Yakubu Ibrahim, suffered violence by NPP thugs at Bosuso in the Fanteakwa South Constituency. The case was reported at the Akim Tafo Police station. The gentleman is still on admission at the Tafo Government Hospital.

– At Mpraeso Constituency, our registration agent was assaulted and the case reported at the Mpraeso Police Station.

– At Abirem Constituency, our Constituency Vice Chairman, Emefa Francis Adusei, suffered several injuries from the brutalities of the NPP Youth Organizer, one Frank Owusu, in the Course of the Voter transfers. Our Vice Chairman was hospitalized and the case reported to the Abirem Police and moved to Court. Ruling is expected today.

-The National Youth Organizer of the NPP and his team of body guards were engaged in sporadic firing of gunshots at an event in Suhum. The Case was reported to the police.

-During Similar events in Suhum Constituency, there was some verbal confrontation between our Constituency Communication Officer, Daniel Channor, who has a shop close to the NPP event venue, and some NPP activists. They threatened him to “wait and see”. Days later, he was knocked down by a vehicle along the pedestrian walkway under suspicious circumstances. He is still on admission at the St Joseph Hospital here at Effiduase-Koforidua.

Ladies and Gentlemen, these overwhelming evidence on the ground does not support the NPP’s claim of violence and can only be seen as a strategy to perpetuate their violence and intimidation whilst they continue to engage in such misbehaviour.

DESTRUCTION OF NDC SIGNPOSTS, POSTERS, FLAGS AND OTHERS

Ladies and gentlemen, It has also come to our notice, an orchestrated serial destruction and defacing of mounted signposts and posters of our Presidential Candidate and Parliamentary Candidates. Some of them have been reported severally to the Police. Notably Okere, Fanteakwa South, Abetifi, Atiwa East, Nkawkaw, Mpraeso among others. Despite reporting to the police, this disgraceful anti-competition behaviour continue to occur. We are serving a caution that if these things does not stop immediately, we will have no other option than to alert our “Umbrella guards” to protect the Umbrella by whatever means or reciprocate same.

ISSUES OF TRANSFERS

Within the period of transfers of votes by the Electoral Commission, a number of issues have come up. Our opponents have been engaged in illegal mass transfers of voters from adjacent constituencies. One Striking instance occurred at Suhum

where buses busing over 300 voters from Akropong arrived at the premises of a sachet water factory owned by the NPP candidate. When the Police arrested one of the drivers for interrogation, he confessed he had brought them from the Akropong Constituency to transfer their votes. We urge the EC to strictly apply its regulation on transfers. The NDC will also do everything within its mandate to block these mass illegal transfers.

ALLEGATION OF DELIBERATE DISENFRANCHISING VOTERS

Ladies and Gentlemen, the NPP in its press conference yesterday also accused our Regional Youth Organizer who is also our Parliamentary Candidate for New Juaben North Constituency of a plan to deliberately disenfranchise voters by collecting their Voter ID cards.

Whilst we must state that this allegation is completely false, It also exposes the ignorance of our opponents on electoral matters.

A loss of Voters ID Card does not disenfranchise a voter. Any registered voter can go to a polling station and get verified to vote even without a voters ID Card. This allegation is therefore totally flawed.

We Sympathise with our opponents- the New Patriotic Party, with regards to the pressure on them from their Flagbearer and National Officers to be active and perform in the face of growing endorsement of our “AGENDA 50/50”, but we urge them to lift the bar and not engage in lies and misbehaviour in their struggle to impress their leader.
With a united force, Eastern Region says JM TOASO!!!

Thank you all for Coming and may God bless us all.

Signed:
Kevor Mark-Oliver
Eastern Regional Secretary, NDC